Taking Charge
by thelovelymystery
Summary: Tessa decides that if she wants her dreams to come true, she has to take matters into her own hands. CLOCKWORK PRINCESS SPOILERS.


**CLOCKWORK PRINCESS SPOILERS. SPOILER ALERT.**

Author Notes: I honestly have no idea where this came from. I was writing another fic that just mentioned this happening and when I got stuck on that one, I decided 'Hey! Why don't I just write this' and so I did. I hope you like it! :)

At some point, I am planning on writing a fic that is comprised of their bucketlists, but right now, I'm working on two other Jessa fanfics and one Wessa one :D

(I apologize for any gramatical errors in advance. My program that I usually use for checking my grammar isn't working so I just had to proof-read it by myself)

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"This a beautiful view, isn't it?" Tessa said, taking in the view around her with wide eyes. She was standing with Jem at one of look out points in the Cloud Forest. They had been travelling for two and half months, leaving only two days after their reunion on the bridge. In only the thousand hours they had been together, Tessa had fallen more in love with Jem than she been a hundred and thirty years ago, when they had first been engaged.

Jem snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. "It most definitely is," he agreed. Tessa turned slightly in his grasp and felt her heart leap when she realized he was not looking out at the Costa Rican view but instead at her. She grinned at him before she turned to face him completely, so she could press her soft lips against his. He gratefully returned the kiss and deepened it. When they finally broke apart minutes later, they found themselves both gasping for air but not truly caring.

She burrowed her head into his shoulder, still grinning barbarically. "That's another thing I can cross off my list. Passionately kissing you on top of the Cloud Forest," she said, giggling quietly. Before they had departed from London, both of them had made their own bucket lists, of everything they had wanted to do and see while they were traveling around the world. Their lists consisted of stuff they had never done or seen before, so they could encounter with the other for the first time, making memories that were soley there's to share. Tessa knew Jem's list was much longer than hers, him having never really gotten the chance to get out and live his life, but she had no idea exactly what it contained. After all, hey had made the lists in secret, only revealing the goals to each other as they were completed. So far, Tessa had crossed out seventeen while Jem had crossed out twenty-four.

His laughter joined in with hers, their voices matching in perfect harmony. As their laughter subsided, they turned to look at the _real_ view once more. Jem's arm around her waist felt so natural and so right, that Tessa knew she wanted to spend the rest of his life with him, even if it meant having to grieve for him when his curse of mortality took him away from her. She knew it would be worth it, and that's all that mattered. She could not imagine parting from him now that they had been reunited.

Slowly, her eyes left the forest view and wandered their way over to him. Several times they had mentioned their previous engagement with both of them hinting towards getting married once and for all, but deep down Tessa knew that Jem would not make the step. Not yet, at least. She could tell that he was worried that she was not ready for another marriage after loosing Will but she could not think of a subtle way to let him know that she was and that it was all she secretly wanted.

That every night she dreamt about walking down the aisle in a golden dress to where he waited for her at the other end - dreams she had not had since before he had been made a Silent Brother and they had been engaged.

It was several nights ago when they had been laying on their canopy bed in a small hotel near the Panama Canal, when she had first realized what she had to do in order for her dreams to come true, a step she had quickly scribbled down on her list. She had realized that she could not theoretically sit around and wait for him forever to make the move (although quite literally, she could). She would have to take control and be a true woman of the modern age.

Plus, Monteverde was such a beautiful place. Why not cross two things off your list while you were visiting the beautiful forest?

Before stepping away from Jem, she gave him one last smile and said, "Close your eyes." He instantly obeyed with a patient and loving smile spreading across on his face. She stepped in front of him and knelt on the ground. She could hear several of the other tourist around her gasp and was thankful when Jem did not open his eyes. She reached into her pocket and took out her one of her father's rings, an antique golden band, that she had taken out of her jewellery case that morning.

"You can open your eyes now," she said, softly. Very slowly Jem opened his eyes. A series of emotions played on his face ranging from confusion to shock to to amusement and finally to utter bliss, where it remained. "I figured since you had asked last time, it was my turn to ask. Plus, I'm better with words than you are," she laughed, earning a deep chuckle in return. "I remember the first time we ever met, all those years ago. You were playing your violin and it was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard. It put me in a trance and somehow, I ended up in your room. Over the weeks that followed, we grew closer and closer and then you proposed to me, a moment that easily made my top ten. You told me that you were dying but I didn't care. I knew then that what I felt for you was everlasting so I said yes. Even though we were not engaged for long before I nearly did loose you and our love became forbidden, we made so many memories together that I would not change for anything. For many years our relationship was nothing both platonic, but there was a part of my heart that would along belong to you. When we were reunited a couple of months ago and I was freely allowed to love you for the first time in years, I was overwhelmed with joy. I have not allowed myself to get so emotionally attached to another person in years, yet somehow I found myself loving you more now than I did back then. And recently, I have realized that all I want to do is marry you so I can call you mine. So, James Carstairs, will you do me the honour of becoming my husband?"

Jem fell to his knees in front of Tessa and instantly pulled her towards him. "Of course I will," he remarked before he kissed her like he had never kissed her before. When at last, they broke apart, Tessa put the ring on his ring finger. As she did so, Jem tentatively grabbed the chain on her neck and pulled it out of her shirt, so the jade fist could be seen by everyone. When their bridal gifts had been exchanged and fixed, Jem stood up and helped Tessa to her feet. Once they were both standing, he grabbed her in a tight hug. While in each other's embrace, he softly whispered into her ear, "You stole my role. I thought it was suppose to be the man who always proposes."

Tessa laughed. "You have a lot to learn about these new times, my dear Jem."

She could feel him smirk. "With you as my teacher, I am willing to learn anything."

Mentally, she crossed off number forty-two on her list; 'be the one to propose this time around'.


End file.
